The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-09-18
AT THE GOLDEN GATE.
'Oh, for an 0vercOat, or
Something Else Warm!'
THE BOOM IN REAL ESTATE.
Along the Wharves-The Cliff House
Cable Roads-Golden Gate Park
General Notes.
Correspondence of THE HERALD.

Correspondence of THE HERALD.
In this place. if one has leisure and is
disposed TO write. it is not at all difficult
to find fitting subject. Just now l
have leisure, and, moreover, am dis
posed TO write, to which fortuitous cir
cumstances may be attributed the fol-
lowing somewhat rambling letter.
San Francisco, it must be remem-
bered, is very young city. Less than
third of a century ago it was mere
collection of wooden shauties, planted
upon a sandhill. California was a
country far, far away-situated some
where on what was called the Pacific
Slope; place where gold was plentiful,
and where wild beasts and wilder men
struggled for the mastery. 1t was a
place where men would go to make for
tunes, but where they would scarcely
stay after those fortunes were made.
But how changed is all this. These
western wilds have put on the hue and
garb of older countries. The treasures
of mountain, stream and valley are
made to contribute to the wants of
rapidly increasing population, while the
ceaseless labors of worldwide COM
MERGE is pouring wealth into its Golfers.
California has already developed into a
great and prosperous commonwealth.
The first thiBg that forcibly attracted
my attention on coming to San Fran
cisco was the climate; and when you
are informed that climate is selling for
So 900 foot front in a certain part of
Southern California, it will Immediately
be inferred that this same question of
climate must needs be a very weighty
one. So thought | when transported
from the July torridity of Salt Lake to
the raw, foggy trade winds of San Fran
cisco. "Oh, for shaggy over
coat, or something warm" was
my somewhat incoherent, thougd
no less realistic yearEing. To freeze
in July and August was something
new TO me, and l did not thoroughly
enjoy it. These same trade winds are
peculiarly prevalent during the So
called summer months, and frequently
whirl the dust and sand of the streets
about in an indecorous manner, and
oftentimes prove very disagreeable. An
eastern humorist characterized this
popularity some years ago in this wise.
He represented San Franciscan, who
was staying in New York, as employing
someone to squirt sand and gravel
down his back to keep him from be-
coming homesick. l am not informen
whether this devise had tho desired
effect.
SAN FRANCISCO
at once strikes one as being ll-built
city. Indeed, it compares quite favor
ably with many of the older cities of
the East. Some of its buildings are
scarcely inferior to those of New York,
and we'll kept. Market Street is really
one of the great business streets of the
country. 1t is wide and has one of the
finest systems of street railways in the
world. 1t is cable road; and it is here,
l believe, where cable roads were first
operated, and it is here where they are
seen in greatest perfection. Running
up hill and down with equal facility,
they should be hailed as boon 70
suffering horsefesh. These roads are
very expensive to build, but their fast
and smooth running qualities, and
easy manipulation, render them ex-
tremely popular with the public.
Though not offering such rapid transit
as the elevated roads of New York, yet
they are probably sufficiently fast for
all practical purposes, and have
not their many Objectionable fea-
lures. This species of road seems
specially adapted to San Francisco on
account of its many hills. think the
cable roads are the street railways of
the future, or until such time as cleo
tricity becomes the universal motive
power. There is cable line now being
extended out westward to the Cliff
House. When it is completed it will
undoubtedly be the most picturesque
street car line in the world; and, more
over, will be one of the most popular
ones.
Although San Francisco has no great
real estate boom, sucn as Los Angeles
has INDUCED in. yet it is steadily grow
ing and expanding. Magnificent build
ings are going up here and there, and
where. The. new Flood building, on the
corner of Fourth and Market Streets,
and opposite the Baldwin, is one of the
finest and most massive in the city, and
will prove a noble addition to the many
fine buildings in its neighborhood.
THE REAL ESTATE MARKET
is firm, though not booming in town
property. The sand dunes to the south
of the Golden Gate Park, apparently an
almost valueless section of country to
the undiscerning eye, is now put upon
the market in 25x129 feet lots, which are
selling at fair price. 1t will be safe
to say, forbidding as the sand dunes
now appear, that IN a few years this
section will be quite valuable, and be
the site of many beautiful residences.
The future of San Francisco is assured,
and nothing under heaven can stop the
growth of the city westward to the Pa
cific. ri 49,.
One visiting San Francisco to-day
would scarcely surmise that a large
portion of the city near the water front
stands upon made land;" yet such is
the case. Montgomery Street, which is
now several blocks back, used to be the
water line, and all that portion below
it has been rescued from the waters of
the bay. 1t is interesting to note how
building is carried on in this portion of
the city. Some massive structure is to
be erected, which, perforce. must stand
upon secure foundations. But how are
these to be attained when there is